Substantially improving on the previous two installments in almost every way, the AR-K series finally finds its way in its penultimate episode.

Despite a few narrative stumbles en route, Stairs is a short but effective scarer wrapped in some very pretty packaging.

Nevermind represents a worthy concept and provides an unsettling atmosphere that fans of thrillers will love, but by the time you’re starting to wonder where the story is going, you’ll realize you actually completed the game twenty minutes earlier.

SOMA is both great horror and great science fiction that stands above the competition in a crowded genre.

Those who appreciate outrageous locales will be thrilled with Armikrog’s out-of-this-world visuals, and puzzle lovers will find plenty to entertain, but anyone looking for a smooth gameplay experience will find themselves sometimes stuck in the mud.

The highly unpolished Dream tries to straddle the line between a puzzle-solving and exploration game, but ultimately doesn’t succeed at either.

The haunting nautical adventure from Deck13 hasn’t benefited at all from its long-delayed localization, but it’s worth a whirl for spooky game enthusiasts.

Fran Bow is a wonderfully dark and surreal adventure that is definitely worth the price of voluntary admission.

A passable game in a fascinating, unique sci-fi world, Cradle is fine to explore but constantly reminds you how much more it could be.

City Quest offers a pixelated trip down nostalgia lane but its uninspired sense of humor and lack of challenge make for a somewhat disappointing homage to golden era classics.

Damn Virgins is more of an uneven frat house comedy than apocalyptic blockbuster, but its heart is in the right place and its puzzle foundations are sound.

Road to Gehenna is a worthy extension of The Talos Principle, adding more of the brilliant puzzles and clever storytelling that helped the original stand out from the pack.

Why Am I Dead at Sea is a solid and complex supernatural whodunit, recommended for those who don’t mind plenty of reading and old-school production values.

MechaNika is a unique concoction of childlike presentation and mature content that doesn’t seem to know which audience it’s trying to please, and never quite manages to fulfill its own evident potential.

The Trace is a brief and easy but fun exploration-filled murder mystery that will have you engaged from beginning to end.

Appropriately, Bunker feels like a time capsule from the ‘90s. Even if the humour doesn’t always hit home, the puzzles may entice you back in(to) the USSR.

It’s a bummer that a game that looks as good, and is as well-designed and polished as Alum, misses the boat on story so badly.

Anna’s Quest is an enchanting mélange of superb production quality, engaging gameplay, and a poignant saga of heart and heartbreak that will linger with you long after the adventure is over.

Her Story’s searchable video database is a unique and compelling way of telling its interactive story, making it worth the fairly short trip to the police station.

It raises some interesting questions, but short of whiling away an hour in a doctor’s waiting room somewhere, I see little reason to recommend Rituals for any actual fun.

While there are plenty of familiar puzzles to keep players occupied, Subject 13‘s mediocre plot and characterization can’t elevate the experience to the well-rounded adventure it had the potential to be.

It creates a great atmosphere, but the overall Homesick experience ultimately feels a bit threadbare.

Sea of Darkness is a fine entry in the Nancy Drew pantheon, relying on the series’ strengths of character development, exploration, and writing.

Despite some solid production values, Morningstar: Descent to Deadrock is just too short and uninspired to strongly recommend.

Technobabylon is a beautiful, compelling game that fans of the cyberpunk genre will devour, as long as you don’t mind a bit of story confusion along the way.

House of Caravan successfully builds an eerie atmosphere of darkness, but the bare-bones story and lack of character empathy largely squander the opportunity.

The Inquisitor loses its way through The Village with a poorly designed, technically weak sequel that fails to capitalise on the strengths of its brazen story and brutal, brilliant title character.

A cast of interesting characters provides the focal point for Quasar, a simple sci-fi adventure that is over all too soon.

The Perils of Man is a well-constructed, compelling adventure full of mechanical contraptions, scientific hubris, impending disaster, and singular courage.

Even with a few rough edges, Dead Synchronicity stands as a modern adventure classic, telling a dark, sad and brutal tale that will leave you wanting more, but equally satisfied.

Asking players to delve deeply into its philosophical underpinnings but too easy to make the actual gameplay particularly fun, The Charnel House Trilogy is an uneven yet oddly compelling ride.

With Broken Age’s release the Double Fine Adventure comes to an end, and the result is a standout game that delivers on its promises. Play it.

Fire fits perfectly into Daedalic’s stable of fantastical worlds inhabited by colorful protagonists, but as a fairly casual puzzler it likely won’t entice the hardboiled adventurer with its extreme linearity and low challenge.

Hugo Pratt’s title character is nicely represented through collectible memorabilia and original artwork, but Corto Maltese: Secrets of Venice fails to deliver an engaging story or gameplay experience worthy of its source material.

Despite its interesting philosophical concept, Pneuma ultimately doesn’t do anything to elevate itself above being an average first-person puzzle-based adventure.

More quirky than funny, A Dreadly Business is by no means spectacular, but nor does it do anything wrong, settling for being a solid, well-made debut episode.

Decay: The Mare may fall foul of overused horror tropes, but its occasional impressive flourishes and ability to build atmosphere help raise it above its clichéd premise.

An epic tale that reunites some much-loved characters and recreates the magic of good, old-fashioned point-and-click adventuring in a hyper-attractive world, the Book of Unwritten Tales 2 is a must-play for fans of the genre.

Belladonna is a very short but engaging diversion for people more interested in reading than actual adventuring.

Whilst a lack of gameplay variety and a slightly lacklustre ending limit its appeal, Contradiction manages to provide solid FMV production values and an interesting mystery to solve.

It’s got far more beauty than brains, but for gamers who appreciate a macabre atmosphere and distinctive art style, Tormentum could be just the brief but darkly beautiful diversion they’re looking for.

The first three-part “season” of Supreme League of Patriots wants to be super-funny but ends up leaving too many opportunities unexplored to maintain interest.

Charming, beautiful and often satisfying, Amphora’s vague goals and finicky physics can be frustrating at times, but if you have the patience you’re in for a unique experience.

In Grim Fandango Remastered, one of the best games of all time has been resurrected for modern audiences. It’s still a classic, and it absolutely belongs on every gamer’s (digital) shelf.

MIND is a great-looking first-person puzzler with a nice atmosphere and promising but flawed gameplay that’s often held hostage to a narrative that falls flat on its face.

Like most Mondays, Randal’s Monday is too long and tedious; it has its moments but falls way short of being a cheeky entertainer with engaging gameplay.

Putt-Putt Joins the Parade is a decent first outing for the cheerful purple car that will make its younger audience smile, but a number of limitations reflect its status as Humongous’ first junior adventure.

If you’re a hardcore fan of the Gold Rush! original, there might be some value in picking up Anniversary on sale. If you’re not, don’t waste your hard-earned riches.

With three chapters down and one to go, the Doorways series still lacks the kind of compelling story or gameplay needed for a successful horror game.

Bursting at the seams with challenging puzzles and thought-provoking science fiction, The Talos Principle is a philosophically-minded first-person puzzler that’s well worth your time.

Underneath Lumino City’s architecturally intricate paper-crafted spectacle is a genuinely rewarding adventure game, albeit one with the flimsiest of stories.

Andrew Plotkin’s Hadean Lands is an ambitious, text adventure puzzlefest that does nearly everything right.

Full of promise but little enjoyment, Enola is a unique and disturbing story wrapped in a bad game.

Episode two is a definite improvement over its predecessor, but the AR-K series still has a ways to go to fulfill its potential.

Now with crisp, modern-day graphics and sound, the Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers remake is a provocative story experience whose aim is to challenge, enlighten, horrify and enthrall. And it succeeds, apart from a few questionable gameplay decisions and a lack of final polish.

Evil Pumpkin’s tricks and treats are about evenly doled out in this quirky casual entry in a wonderfully imaginative Halloween world.

Though it poses little in the way of challenge, The Vanishing of Ethan Carter delivers a gripping, gradually unfolding tragedy set in a beautiful open woodland environment that you are free to explore at will.

Zojoi’s Shadowgate remake is everything you loved – and maybe everything you hated – about old-school adventuring. It offers a captivating journey into a fantasy dungeon, but it’s inhabited by puzzles so artificially challenging that this quest is one not everyone will want to undertake.

Emotionally resonant and carefully crafted, A Golden Wake mostly succeeds in living up to its ambitious premise and ultimately leaves a memorable impression.

Sherlock has never looked better, and Crimes & Punishments is an enjoyable anthology that should bring in new fans, but there’s little challenge for a seasoned adventurer.

More a slick refinement than a radically different game, J.U.L.I.A. Among the Stars largely took what it got right in the already enjoyable original version and improved upon it, then added some welcome new content on top.

A pleasant surprise that is both chilling and moving, Dream Revenant is an immersive, surreal narrative experience, although it’s currently marred by its many technical issues.

Whispering Willows has an engaging story and superlative production quality, but fails to build on its strengths, eventually becoming an exercise in drudgery due to its insipid quests and irritating game design.

No Going Back struggles to build anticipation for a conclusion that is clear from the outset, but once past the point of no return, the final episode ramps up to an exciting choice-driven conclusion with five different endings.

If you’ve played the first chapter of The Journey Down, you’ll know pretty much what to expect. But when everything worked as well as it did originally, that continues to be a good thing.

Although far from a traditional adventure, Valiant Hearts has a strong setting and story that exposes the worst aspects of war and the best of human relationships.

With little more to offer than superficial weirdness and pretty polygons in this series debut, it’s best to wait and see where Catmouth Island goes before investing any time in this underwhelming adventure.

Quest for Infamy is an ambitious, often entertaining homage that has all the ingredients for success, but the overall experience is impaired by uneven humour and lacklustre combat.

Whilst a pleasant diversion, the lack of story and immersion-breaking gameplay will likely make the memory of Sea of Giants sink without trace after finishing.

Amid The Ruins really delivers in setting the stage for the series conclusion, creating both expected and unexpected challenges that strike at the heart of fragile group dynamics.

The Last Door is a great retro atmospheric horror game that will make you want to keep opening up its mysteries until you reach the end.

It’s been a crazy up-and-down season, but the conclusion of The Wolf Among Us is a visceral, stylishly violent adventure in Bill Willingham’s brilliant Fabletown at heart, with some great storytelling aptitude to close things out.

Once the novelty of its promising premise and fun environmental puzzles have worn off, Lifeless Planet’s repetitive scenery and gameplay drag the experience back down to earth.

The Fall is a short but excellent first chapter of a planned trilogy. Even as it neatly wraps up its own story, it leaves enough questions unanswered (and raises some new ones) to create anticipation for the follow-up.

With a threadbare story and very low challenge threshold, Black Rainbow is a game that won’t appeal to any but the most novice of casual gamers.

Murdered: Soul Suspect is the newest addition to the small field of triple AAA adventure titles and offers some pleasant new surprises but an uneven storyline, poorly developed characters and unfocused gameplay keeps this game from rising above mediocrity.

An original and promising concept left unfulfilled by disappointing gameplay, Among the Sleep is recommended only to those who want to experience a unique take on the horror genre.

realMyst’s Masterpiece Edition offers spectacular enhancements to an already iconic adventure game – even the Myst naysayers should be pleasantly surprised by the new visuals and interface revisions.

In Sheep’s Clothing is a very disappointing episode that starts slow and never picks up much steam. It all falls on the finale now to redeem this uneven series.

Kentucky Route Zero’s excellent third act is no less weird than its predecessors, but hints at something unexpected: a coherent narrative.

The Walking Dead’s middle instalment begins with an overly long, slow burn, though it gradually builds toward the tense excitement that series fans have become accustomed to.

The thought-provoking Ossuary is a game that exercises your brain in more ways than one, with a multitude of diversions to find.

The Samaritan Paradox is a fun retro mystery that almost reaches the heights to which it aspires, but a few minor issues prevent it from achieving true greatness.

9 Elefants effortlessly copies what should have been a successful formula on paper, but a lack of puzzle variety and story relevance causes most redeeming qualities to get lost in translation.

Though he has lost his memory, Tex hasn’t lost any of his charm or humor, and Tesla Effect is a beautifully crafted love letter to a bygone era, made specifically with series fans in mind.

This pop-up book isn’t just for children; if you’re looking for a peaceful interlude to while an afternoon away, check Tengami out.

The shadows on the Vatican are darkening as the series gathers major momentum with the efficiently designed, tightly scripted, very enjoyable Act II: Wrath.

CastleAbra is a whimsical romp through old-fashioned fantasy environments that will amuse gamers who can embrace its retro sensibility, zany scenarios, and tough inventory puzzles.

The Blackwell Epiphany is very polished and at times packs a real emotional punch, sending the series out on a high.

Eminently playable, cheekily characterised and delectably artistic, The Serpent’s Curse rekindles the romance of the much-loved Broken Sword series.

An incredibly stylish, wondrously original vision wrapped in a neon-colored synthesizer from the future, FRACT OSC offers a surreal musical landscape that is only best described as interactive art.

Anyone a bit worried after the second episode can welcome the series back with open arms; A Crooked Mile is an intense and violent episode that is fun and over far too quickly.

While mildly entertaining at times, Moebius is disappointingly light on the charm, intrigue, and ingenuity that marked Jane Jensen’s earlier work.

Mount Olympus is a repetitive, lackluster, and simplistic experience barely masquerading as an original adventure.

While the offbeat humor will likely hold a certain charm for select audiences, Ferris Mueller’s Day Off lacks a substantial gameplay experience to go with it.

Games don’t come much goofier than this – Jazzpunk serves up nonstop, breathless absurdity, if not much else.

1954: Alcatraz has a great premise, but the execution falls flat.

With his sixth globetrotting escapade, Professor Layton secures an enduring gaming legacy, with just a few little bumps on the way.